Stokes Secures 6 Scalps in England Test Series Preparation Match

Tour match, Perth venue (first day of 3)

Development squad 382: Will Jacks 84, McKinney 67; Stokes 6-52

National team: awaiting batting

Ben Stokes delivered six wickets in his return to play following July but the tourists faced an fitness worry about fast bowler Wood on the first day of their Ashes warm-up versus the development squad in Western Australia.

The England captain, returning after approximately four months away with a shoulder problem, bowled sixteen overs across three bowling spells for his six for fifty-two against England Lions – all to catches on the leg side.

Pace bowler Wood, himself returning after nine months out with a knee problem, delivered a pre-planned number of eight overs before exiting the field in the afternoon session because of a hamstring problem. He will receive scanning on Friday.

Wood's injury drained the energy out of the day, as the Lions were bowled out for 382 on a slow track after an automatic toss at Lilac Hill.

The tourists wanted to field first to build bowling fitness before the first Ashes Test at the main venue, starting on November 21st.

In a potential indication towards their first-Test plans, the tourists fielded an fast bowling lineup – four specialist bowlers plus Stokes – and omitted off-spinner Shoaib Bashir in the development squad.

Bethell didn't strengthen his claim for selection in the Test team, making only two, but Jacks enhanced his claim to be called upon later in the tour by swiping eighty-four.

Ben McKinney, Cox, 17-year-old Thomas Rew and Matthew Potts also made fifties.

England's decision to play a solitary warm-up game against the development squad has been questioned by some ex-players but the captain responded by calling the critics "former players".

A relaxed first day in front of a smattering of spectators at the ground was certainly a different experience from what the team will encounter at a packed Optus Stadium the following week.

The captain was superb in the series against India in the home summer, only to push himself to injury. He missed the last match with a shoulder tear.

The skipper has not completed a complete participation in any of the team's past four series because of different fitness issues and the team's chances of winning back the Ashes are significantly reduced if he misses any of the five matches in Australia.

He has been practicing at full pace for 60 days and looked in fine shape on the match day, even if he could not believe the way in which some of his wickets were gifted.

Will Jacks is unlikely to feature in the first Test – the team look to have revealed their hand with the eleven named here. Nevertheless, he may have nudged himself in front of the out-of-sorts Bethell with his eighty-four, which came at nearly run-a-ball pace.

Prior to the doubt over Wood, the five seamers in the team lineup for this game may not have been the attack for the first Test.

Brydon Carse was absent from the opening day because of sickness, with his place going to Josh Tongue. Josh Tongue had opening batsman McKinney caught behind just after the break.

Though Stokes took the scalps, Jofra Archer impressed observers. He was energetic with the new ball and once more after the interval, when he discomforted Jacks.

In the omission of Shoaib Bashir and with Wood leaving the field, Root was asked to deliver fourteen overs of his off-spin. It was average performance, conceding 117 at an economy of over eight.

Root at least took a scalp in the closing stages when Fisher unexpectedly hit a full delivery to mid-on before Archer bounced out Potts for 53 with the final ball of the day.